Guide for Using the Comparison of Common Core State Standards with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in Mathematics and the Comparison of Common Core State Standards with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in English Language Arts Following the adoption of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects by the Arkansas State Board of Education on July 12, 2010, the Arkansas Department of Education brought together educators from across the state to complete an alignment analysis of the Arkansas Mathematics Curriculum Framework and English Language Arts Curriculum Framework to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). This work was completed by a committee of educators that included teachers at all grade levels, math and English language arts specialists, and faculty from institutions of higher education. To accomplish this work, the committees used the Common Core Comparison Tool created by Achieve to assist in determining the relationship between state standards and the CCSS documents. Participants in both the English language arts and math committees were charged with the task of reading and interpreting the CCSS and then matching relevant student learning expectations (SLEs) in the Arkansas Curriculum Frameworks to each common core standard. To accomplish this task, committee members were divided into grade bands and systemically began the process of matching each SLE to one or more corresponding common core standards. Two criteria were considered in the matching process: content alignment and depth of learning. Arkansas SLEs that matched well in both the scope of content and depth of learning were considered excellent matches. However, every match does not represent an exact match due to the difference in wording as well as scope of the corresponding common core standard. For example, matches were assigned when an Arkansas SLE did not cover the entire scope of the matched common core standard, either in content specificity or depth of learning; however, the skill or concept of the SLE represented scaffolding that is needed to obtain the common core standard, was inferred from the wording of the standard, or supported one or more parts of the common core standard. Therefore, a common core standard may have several related Arkansas student learning expectations that may, or may not, cover the entire scope of the common core standard to which it is matched. The Comparison of Common Core State Standards with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in Mathematics and the Comparison of Common Core State Standards with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in English Language Arts represent the culmination of thoughtful and careful review of both the CCSS and state framework documents by statewide educators. The alignment completed by the committees is not intended to reflect a final or absolute alignment but to clarify the relationship between the CCSS and Arkansas Curriculum Frameworks for English language arts and mathematics. Neither are these documents meant to serve as prescriptive or exhaustive curriculum guides but to provide local and state educators with some guidance as Arkansas moves toward implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The documents serve as one tool to inform decisions during the transition process. Further examination of the documents may reveal additional matches, depending on individual interpretations of content and depth of learning. The Comparison of Common Core State Standards with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in Mathematics Understanding the format of the Comparison of Common Core State Standards with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in Mathematics is essential to reading and using the document. The comparison document is divided into eight columns: Columns one and two represent the strand codes and standard numbers from the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. For example, N.RN represents Numbers.Rational Numbers. (For a complete list of strand codes, see the attached Coding Chart for Mathematics.) Column three is the text of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Column four indicates the grade/course of the common core standard. Column five represents the grade level of the Arkansas SLE that is matched to the common core standard. Column six is the Arkansas SLE that is matched to the common core standard. Column seven indicates the degree of match that Arkansas currently has to the CCSS. Column eight includes additional, relevant information provided by the committee about the match. Understanding Degrees of Match After determining which Arkansas SLE(s) matched a common core standard, committee members determined the degree of match between the collective Arkansas SLE(s) that corresponded to a common core standard. All matched common core standards were rated based on the degree of match. The committee members assessed both breadth and depth of content contained within Arkansas SLE(s) and the common core standard to determine the degree of match. The following ratings represent the degree of match of the Arkansas SLE(s) to the corresponding common core standard: 3 = Excellent match. Arkansas SLE(s) match the common core standard in both depth of learning and content. 2 2 = Good match. Arkansas SLE(s) match the common core standard with minor aspects of the core standard not addressed in the Arkansas SLE(s). 1 = Weak match. Arkansas SLE(s) relate to the common core standard with major aspects of the common core standard not addressed by the Arkansas SLE(s). Understanding the Codes for the Mathematics Strands and Standards Columns one and two of the comparison document include codes that refer to the common core strands and standard numbers. These codes will help educators familiarize themselves with the nomenclature used in the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Attached is a Coding Chart for Mathematics that was used in the creation of the document. This chart, which follows in order the common core standards in the Comparison of Common Core State Standards with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in Mathematics, is intended to help educators read the abbreviations for the strands in columns one and two. In column three of the comparison document, each common core standard is preceded by a code that includes grade level/course, strand, and standard number. For example, CC.K.CC.1 represents Common Core.Grade Kindergarten.Counting and Cardinality Strand.Standard 1. In column six of the document, the Arkansas SLEs were also assigned a code to assist in the matching process. For example, AR.K.A.4.4 represents Arkansas. Kindergarten.Algebra Strand.Standard 4.SLE 4. Following the coded Arkansas SLE, the Arkansas SLE number appears in parenthesis. (Arkansas coding A.4.K.4) The Comparison of Common Core State Standards with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in English Language Arts Understanding the format of the Comparison of Common Core State Standards with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in English Language Arts is essential to reading and using the document. The comparison document is divided into eight columns: Column one represents the strand codes from the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. For example, RI represents Reading for Informational Texts. (For a complete list of strand codes, see the attached Coding Chart for English Language Arts.) Column two lists the standard number for each strand. Column three includes the standard code, conceptual organizer, and the text of each common core standard. Column four indicates the grade level of the common core standard. Column five represents the grade level of the Arkansas SLE that is matched to the common core standard. 3 Column six is the Arkansas SLE that is matched to the common core standard. The SLE is preceded by the conceptual organizer. Column seven indicates the degree of match that one or more Arkansas SLEs have to the corresponding common core standard. Column eight includes notes that the committee members included to provide additional, relevant information about the match. The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects is divided into three sections: a comprehensive K-5 section that includes standards for reading writing, speaking and listening, and language across the curriculum as well as two content-area specific sections for grades 6-12—one for English language arts and one for history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. The standards for history/social studies, science, and technical subjects are not included in this comparison document. These standards are not intended to be implemented in the English language arts classroom; they are designed specifically as a literacy component to be used in conjunction with standards in other content areas. The correlation of the grades 6-12 CCSS literacy standards to the content standards of the Arkansas Curriculum Frameworks for science and social studies will be forthcoming. Understanding Degrees of Match After determining which Arkansas SLE(s) matched a common core standard, committee members determined the degree of match between the collective Arkansas SLE(s) that corresponded to a common core standard. All matched common core standards were rated based on the degree of match. The committee members assessed both breadth and depth of content contained within Arkansas SLE(s) and the common core standard to determine the degree of match. The following ratings represent the degree of match of the Arkansas SLE(s) to the corresponding common core standard: 3 = Excellent match. Arkansas SLE(s) match the common core standard in both depth of learning and content. 2 = Good match. Arkansas SLE(s) match the common core standard with minor aspects of the core standard not addressed in the Arkansas SLE(s). 1 = Weak match. Arkansas SLE(s) relate to the common core standard with major aspects of the common core standard not addressed by the Arkansas SLE(s). Understanding the Codes for the English Language Arts Strands and Standards Column one of the comparison document includes codes that refer to the common core strands. These codes will help educators familiarize themselves with the nomenclature used in the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. Attached is the Coding Chart for English Language Arts that was 4 used in the creation of the document. This chart, which follows the order of the strands and standards in the Comparison of Common Core State Standards with Arkansas Student Learning Expectations in English Language Arts, is intended to help educators read the abbreviations for the strands in column one. In column three of the comparison document, each common core standard is preceded by a code that includes grade level, strand, and standard number. For example, CC.5.W.3.d represents Common Core.Grade 5.Writing Strand.Standard 3d. In column six of the document, the Arkansas SLEs were also assigned a code to assist in the matching process. For example, AR.7.IR.12.2 represents Arkansas.Grade 7.Inquiring/Researching Strand.Standard 12.SLE 2. Following the coded Arkansas SLE, the Arkansas SLE number from the English Language Arts Curriculum Framework appears in parenthesis. (Note: Some writing SLEs from Standard 4 located in the parenthesis were miscoded in the Achieve Comparison Tool as Oral and Visual Communication SLEs. For example, Arkansas SLE W.4.11.4 appears as OV.4.11.4. This is an internal flaw of the Comparison Tool, and this miscoding occurs only in Writing Standard 4.) 5